In the Rain
by FallacyFallacy
Summary: Sirius has loved Remus since 5th year, but Remus hasn't really thought about it. Yet, when Remus starts 6th year with a whole new look, will it be only his appearance that changes? RLSB SLASH Completed
1. Chapter One: The Beginning & The Trip

In the Rain  
  
Chapter one: The Beginning & The Trip  
  
Remus's POV  
  
It was the start of our 6th year, and I was waiting for my friends in the Hogwarts express. I always get here early, to save us our compartment. That is, the Marauder's compartment. Not that I need to save it, everyone knows it's ours, and won't dare take it. Last year there were a couple of first-years in there, but they cleared out. Cough.  
  
I stared out the window, scanning the crowd for the familiar messy raven hair, charming black hair, short blonde hair.  
Suddenly, the door burst open, surprising me a lot, but, it was only Sirius.  
  
"Sirius!" I cried, jumping up. I had been missing him a lot over the holidays; I had been missing them all. The full moons were almost unbearable without them with me. They seemed a lot worse than I remembered. I had grown used to the others being with me over that year, and being without them...I shudder just thinking about it.  
  
Anyway, I'm getting off track. I jumped up and gave him a friendly, brotherly hug. For a second there I felt weird, it's hard to describe. Really, really happy. I know it's normal to feel happy to see my friends again after all that time, but I mean, euphorically happy. It was so weird; I had no idea why. I just...did.  
  
When we let go he looked at me, kinda jumped, and stared at me. "Whoa.  
Moony! You look...different!" Well, he was right about that. For some reason, I looked a lot different to how I used to look before the holidays. My shoulders were broader, my skin tanner, and my hair had finally settled on a nice golden brown colour. Also, before I usually had my hair back in a short pony-tail, but now I've decided to have it down. It looks better that way.  
  
"Anyway, Moony! Didja miss me?" he said, all bouncy and excited again, as always. He always makes me laugh when he does that, like a hyper little puppy. In fact, he nearly always manages to make me laugh. Even when I'm sad, Sirius usually finds a way to make me laugh. He taught me that when I'm feeling sad, to smile, and maybe laugh a bit, and it won't seem so bad.  
  
"Heeellooooo, Moony? Are you there?" he said, waving a hand in front of my face, and I realised that I had been staring at him, but into space. You know?  
  
"I'm here, Siri!" I'd never used that nickname before. It had always been 'Padfoot' or 'Paddy' etc, etc. I just felt like calling him that.  
  
"Well?! Didja miss me?!" I laughed, and thought for a second. I had missed him a lot, to say the least. More than usual. "Like hell." I replied, and he laughed. I love it when Sirius laughs, his eyes light up and sparkle. He has really amazing eyes, Sirius. They show his emotion if you look hard enough, and they are this really amazing bright blue colour. I always admired Sirius's eyes.  
When Sirius laughs he sort of throws his head back, and his hair catches the light, making it even more beautiful than normal. I had never really noticed this before, though. I didn't know why I was being so, well, observant now.  
  
"Hey, guys!" James cried, barging into the compartment and throwing himself onto the seat next to Sirius, and I felt like I wish he hadn't come, and just left Sirius and I by ourselves. Weird. That feeling was gone in a second, though, and I was just glad to see him again. We hugged, and I noticed that I didn't feel the same euphoria.  
  
James and Sirius didn't hug; they pretended to air-kiss each other, and started talking in this fake, hollywood superstar drawl.  
When they air-kissed, I felt a twinge in my stomach. Just a slight twinge. I didn't have long to ponder about it, though. James and Sirius were too funny.  
  
"Oh, hello, darl! Long time, no see, Prongsie, baby!" "Oh, we have so much catching up to do, Paddy! Did you know that Frank and Alice have hooked up?" In one second, every one of us had cracked up laughing again. We were laughing so hard, we were practically falling off our seats.We always laugh this hard when we get together, and since we'd been apart for so long, it just seemed that much funnier.  
We were laughing so hard we didn't even hear Peter come in. I have a feeling he tried to get us to notice this, but ended up laughing his head off anyway at us.  
  
When we finally calmed down, which took considerable time, the Hogwarts Express was almost ready to head off, and we finally saw Peter.  
"Hey, Peter!" I said happily but breathlessly, before giving him a quick hug, followed by Sirius and James.  
  
"Whoa, Moony! You look really different!" James cried when he saw me. "You're gonna have the ladies all over you this year! You look hot! Right, Padfoot?" Sirius jumped, as though he hadn't been paying attention, and replied kind of uncertainly, "Uh, yeah! that's right!"  
  
"It's great to see you guys again!" Peter cried, plopping down next to me. I nodded, adding, "Same with me. Ugh, it was horrible to be all by myself, without you three. Especially the transformations. They seemed ten times worse this summer without you three there." The others smiled sympathetically, apparently meaning to cheer me up. I hate it when people are all feeling sorry for me. It's already happened, and they can't change that.  
  
Sirius, seeing that I wasn't exactly looking a lot happier, joked, "Well, at least it'll be a lot better now we're here! Aren't you glad?" That worked better. It always makes me feel a bit better about it when the others joke about my being a werewolf, and like I said before, Sirius can always make me laugh.  
  
"Ok, now onto the topic we've all been waiting for," Sirius continued as the train started, rubbing his hands together and smiling mischievously, "The ladies." He turned to James. "So, Prongsie, you over Lilsie yet?" I rolled my eyes, chuckling slightly. It was really obvious to everyone tht James liked Lily, he had since second year. That is, obvious to everyone except Lily.  
"Nope, Paddsie," James answered. "Still love her. She's so beautiful..." He started staring into space, when- SLAP! "Hey!" James cried, massaging his cheek and glaring at Sirius. "That hurt! What was that for?!" Sirius looked at him innocently.  
"Well, you told me that whenever you go into a trance to slap you!" he said, as though surprised he didn't remember. "No I didn't!" James replied indignantly. "Well," Sirius said thoughtfully, "I guess I just felt like slapping you, then."  
  
When we stopped laughing, Sirius turned to me. "So, Moonsie, who've you got your eyes on this year? Ally? Sophia?" I thought about that one. What was weird was, none of them seemed to attract me at the moment. Sure, I knew they were beautiful and smart and everything, but I didn't, you know, like them romantically, or anything. This was especially weird because that morning I had just been thinking about asking Ally out. Now I didn't really feel like it.  
  
"No-one," I said truthfully, and the others snorted.  
"Yeah right," Peter said disbeleivingly. "You've had a crush on Sophia since half-way through last year, and Ally since the beginning." I couldn't disagree with that. It was all true. But, I just didn't really like them anymore. When I tried to explain that to the guys, however, they just snorted again. I rolled my eyes. "It's true. I just don't really like them like that anymore. I just like them as friends now." Sirius stopped snorting and tried a different tactic.  
"Ok, how about Dawn? Jade? It better not be Lily." "No, no, and No!" I said. Dawn already had a boyfriend, Jade just wasn't my type, and James liked Lily.  
  
"Oh, Ok, then," Sirius said, in what would have seemed to be a defeated manner, had it been anyone else. "Rae?" he asked, hopefully.  
"No!" It would have been starting to get annoying, had it not been so thought-provoking. Oh, and the fact that it was Sirius.  
  
Sirius scowled, but then brightened up again. "Well, now that we're done discussing moony's love life. Or," he added, mischievously, "his lack of one," I rolled my eyes, "Let's get onto mine!" he started bouncing up and down in his seat and clapping his hands excitedly.  
  
"Ok. So, you and Summer hooking up?" James asked, reffering to Sirius's last girlfriend, and I felt the twinge again, a little more pronounced this time.  
"Nah, I broke up with her. She was getting annoying, owling me every day." James shook his head. This was pretty much how Sirius's relationships all went.  
  
Becoming bored with the conversation about Sirius's love-life, I turned to look out the window, and to ponder about...well, about life. To day-dream. I love doing this, I have been since Ally and me went out in our second year. We broke up in our forth year, though, we just weren't in love as much anymore. We're still good friends, though. She's a great listener.  
  
Suddenly, Sirius cried, "No way! Never!" I hastily glanced over at Sirius, who was staring at James as though he were crazy. "What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. James immediately started laughing; he always does that when I raise one eyebrow. Neither him, Sirius or Peter can do it, either.  
  
Sirius looked at me as though he'd just realised I was there, then gave me a disbeleiving look. "Oh, it's just James here. He said he'd give me a galleon to kiss Nicola Halloway. You know, that ugly Slytherin chick. I wouldn't do that for anything less than a hundred." James, who had stopped laughing, looked breifly as though he were considering whether it would be worth it, and I burst out laughing once again.  
  
Sirius's POV  
  
When I saw Remus for that first time after the Summer, I was so shocked. He looked so different, so cool, so hot. I knew he would be a definate heart-throb that year, and that thought wasn't exactly the happiest. I had liked him since last year, and still did, for him. Not for his hair or body, for him. How he was so smart and nice all the time, and his sense of humor. And now, he was going to be surrounded by bitchy sluts that only wanted him because he was hot. And that, as I said, wasn't exactly the happiest thought in the world.  
  
Not even that could squash my happiness for sseeing him again, though. It was so good just to see him face again. Of course, we'd been sending owls to each other, but it's just not the same as seeing him for real. And it was that encouraging thought, of seeing him again on the Hogwarts express, that kept me from going crazy over the holidays.  
As Remus would say, Not that I wasn't already crazy.  
  
But, I'm getting off track.  
When I saw Remus, I thought he'd never looked so beautiful. I thought I'd never, ever loved him as much as when I saw him then. He looked so...mysterious, so....well, it's hard to describe. Just so....perfect.  
  
Anyway, we hugged, and I felt the butterflies in my stomach that I always feel when Remus hugs me. He hugs everyone, though, in a friendly way, but I still feel really good.  
  
When we let go I looked at him up and down, drinking in every part of him. I was glad for an excuse to look at him like that without him thnking I'm some crazy psycho-stalker or something. Ok, maybe that was an exaggeration, but you know what I mean.  
  
When I realised I'd been staring for a long time, I said, all amazed (because I was), "Whoa...Moony! You look...different!" Wow. I truly am a master of vocabulary. I truly am. I'm not always like this, just with Remus.  
  
"Anyway, Moony! Didja miss me?" I asked, happily. Remus always makes me so happy when I see him, I just get so bouncy and hyper and...well, you get the idea. He started thinking, you know? Like, day dreaming, kind of fazing out, so I did what I do, and waved my hand in front of his face, saying, "Heeellooooo, Moony? Are you there?" "I'm here, Siri!" he replied, and I immediately warmed to the nickname. Remus had never called me that before, in fact, no-one had ever called me that before. I loved it, though. It sounded almost as though...but no. That's not the case.  
  
"Well?! Didja miss me?!" I cried, all bouncy again. Well, I had to know. Ok, I knew he missed me, but it just feels good when he says it. Kind of like when you think of a really good idea for a prank and you know your friends are going to say how it's really good and everything, but it still feels good when they do.  
  
He laughed, this wonderful, tinkling laugh. Like an angel's. I know this is all so cliched so much, but it's all true. No matter how many times you say it, it's still true. "Like hell," he said, and I laughed.  
  
Suddenly, James barged into the compartment, scaring the hell out of me. "Hey, guys!" he shouted, and practically threw himself on the seat next to me, before standing up again to hug Remus. I don't mind when James hugs Remus, like James wouldn't mind if I hugged Lily. In a friendly way. Although, I guess it's different, but you know what I mean. I guess it helps that James liking Lily proves he's straight, and vice versa.  
  
James sat back down and turned to me, grinning. We air-kissed, you know, kissed the air in front of each of our cheeks and I said in this really hilarious superstar I'm-better-than-you Hollywood voice, "Oh, hello, darl! Long time, no see, Prongsie, baby!" I was practically cracking up already.  
"Oh, we have so much catching up to do, Paddy! Did you know that Frank and Alice have hooked up?"  
  
In one second, every one of us had cracked up laughing again. We were laughing so hard, we were practically falling off our seats. That's one of the reasons I love being around all th others, we always go silly like this and crack up laughing. Everyone always looks at us weirdly, but some people start laughing with us, like when you yawn and someone else yawns. It's catching.  
  
I think Peter came in sometime when we were laughing, I don't know, but when we stopped laughing, Peter was there, and he looked like he had been laughing, too. "Hey, Peter!" Remus said happily, but breathlessly from laughing, and gave him a hug, then I did then James.  
  
"Whoa, Moony! You look really different!" James cried, but that was all I heard. Again, I was glad for an excuse to look at him that long, and I was getting lost in his eyes. They're so- "...Right, Padfoot?" I jumped, and stared at James. "Uh, yeah! that's right!" I bluffed, and no-one seemed to notice.  
  
"It's great to see you guys again!" Peter cried, and sat down next to Remus. "Same with me. Ugh, it was horrible to be all by myself, without you three. Especially the transformations. They seemed ten times worse this summer without you three there." I felt a little guilty, leaving him by himself for the transformations like that. We all knew how bad the transformations were when he was by himself, and were instantly feeling sorry for him.  
  
I saw he was looking a little uncomfortable, and remembered that Remus doesn't like it when people feel sorry for him, so I said jokingly, "Well, at least it'll be a lot better now we're here! Aren't you glad?" He seemed a bit happier after that.  
  
"Ok, now onto the topic we've all been waiting for," I announced, getting excited. I had to find out who Remus liked. "The ladies." I turned to James. Well, it was just one question. "So, Prongsie, you over Lilsie yet?" Remus rolled his eyes and chuckled slightly.  
"Npoe, Paddsie," James answered. "Still love her. She's so beautiful..." Wrong answer. SLAP "Hey!" James cried, massaging his cheek and glaring at me "That hurt! What was that for?!" I looked at him innocently. Or as innocent as Sirius Black can get.  
"Well, you told me that whenever you go into a trance to slap you!" I said. "No I didn't!" James replied indignantly. "Well," I said thoughtfully, "I guess I just felt like slapping you, then."  
  
We all laughed, and I turned to Remus. It was time for the big question. "So, Moonsie, who've you got your eyes on this year? Ally? Sophia?" Remus thought for a bit, while I waited as patiently as I was just before I got on the train to go to Hogwarts for my first year.  
  
"No-one," Remus said earnestly, and everyone snorted, including me. It was a well-known fact among the Marauders that Remus rarely didn't have a crush on someone.  
"Yeah right," Peter said disbeleivingly. "You've had a crush on Sophia since the midle of last year, and Ally since the beginning of it." Remus said that he didn't like them anymore, but we just snorted again, causing Remus to roll his eyes. "It's true. I just don't really like them like that anymore. I just like them as friends now." I stopped snorting, and decided to try something different. I had to find out who he liked.  
"Ok, how about Dawn? Jade? It better not be Lily." "No, no, and No!" Remus cried, and I beleived him. I just felt like he was telling the truth.  
  
"Oh, Ok, then," I said, trying to sound like I couldn't come up with anyone else. "Rae?" I asked, hopefully.  
"No!" Well, this was weird.  
  
I scowled, but then brightened up again. "Well, now that we're done discussing moony's love life. Or," I added, mischievously, "his lack of one," Remus rolled his eyes "Let's get onto mine!" I started bouncing up and down in my seat and clapping my hands excitedly.  
  
"Ok. So, you and Summer hooking up?" James asked, reffering to my last girlfriend. Remember when I told you I....wasn't straight? Well, that was the truth. I've just been going out with some girls to test it. Remus could just be another crush or something. Just to be sure.  
"Nah, I broke up with her. She was getting annoying, owling me every day." James shook his head. I knew he was both disappointed I hadn't said anything to Remus over the holidays and realising the same thing I had just done recently.  
  
Remus turned look out the window, to think. I love it when he does that, because he can't see when I'm looking at him. James turned to me, flicked his eyes to Remus, and raised his eyebrows. I immediately knew what he ment.  
  
"No way! Never!" I shouted, cursing the day I had told James I liked Remus. Well, I didn't really tell him, it just slipped out.  
  
"What?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow, and James immediately started laughing. Not only from the fact that I would have to explain this, but also from the fact that, for some reason, it looks really funny when he raises an eyebrow like that. I was in no mood to laugh, though.  
  
I tried to think of an excuse."Oh, it's just James here. He said he'd give me a galleon to kiss Nicola Halloway. You know, that ugly Slytherin chick. I wouldn't do that for anything less than a hundred." James, who had stopped laughing, looked breifly as though he were considering whether it would be worth it, and Remus burst out laughing again. Thank the Lord. I made a mentel note to thank James for making Remus forget about that later.  
  



	2. Chapter Two: The Realisation & The Irony

Chapter Two: The Realisation & The Irony  
  
Remus's POV  
  
When the Hogwarts express was drawing closer to Hogsmeade, and the sun had set, I turn back to the window and looked into the sky. I don't know why, but the night sky always looks so...beautiful at Hogwarts, and it's become almost a tradition to look out at the stars when the Hogwarts Express pulls up. They have yet to realise that there is scarcely anything more beautiful than the midnight sky on a cloudless night. Even the moon is beautiful, grimly beautiful, in it's own way.  
  
"Remus? We're here," a hear a voice telling me, so I shook myself back into the cold harshness of reality. Whenever I need to escape the world around me, I look at the stars, or stand outside in the rain. Both have such a calming effect, it makes things seem not as bad anymore.  
  
I find my feet taking me automatically to the door; I've traveled this route so many times before it just happens automatically. I take this time to think, just about life, and everything that comes with it. To wonder what pranks we'll play this year, and whether Lily will finally go out with James.  
  
"Huh? Arr-!" My arms turn wildly as I struggle to keep my balance, but failing, and I fall down the steps to the ground. A few people around us snicker, but Sirius turns around and offered his hand to help me up, which I accept. Because of the direction of the light, I can't see his face. But, with my keen wolfish eyes, I can see James in the background smirking wickedly, obviously from my fall, Peter looking slightly worried about whether I'm Ok, and...is that Snape? But, why would he be hanging around here? Near us? But, after a second he's gone, and I guess that it was just a trick of the light.  
  
We head over to the horseless carriages, saying a quick hello to Hagrid allong the way. There are only two left, an empty one and one with two Hufflepuff girls. I look at the girls, as a sort of test, but nothing changed. I know they're cute, but I just don't feel attracted to them.  
  
James, however, reacts the exact opposite way, and asks Sirius if he minds him going with them. Peter, as always, tags along with James, leaving me and Sirius to go in the empty carriage.  
  
I sit next to the window, like I always do, and look out the window at the stars, noticing that, for some reason, they looked extra beautiful tonight. Sirius sits on the seat opposite me.  
  
When were're about halfway to the castle, I feel Sirius's eyes on me, so I turn to look over at him.  
  
If Sirius had been looking at me before, he wasn't anymore. Now he was staring out the window, like I had been before, his head resting on the windowsill. I look at Sirius and notice that his hair looks even better in the moonlight. It kind of goes all silvery, and it looks almost as if it's glowing. His skin is exactly the right colour in contrast, tan, but slightly pale, which also sort of glows. His bright blue eyes sparkle in the light, looking even bluer than normal. I look into his eyes, and I feel slightly weak, but happy.  
  
There wasn't any gradual discovery, it hit me like a smack in the face, a random thought, but I beleive it. I don't know why, I just do. It just seems real; it all adds up.  
  
I like Sirius.  
  
And no, I don't mean as a friend, I mean as a crush. As in, I have a crush on Sirius, the guy. I like a guy. That would mean I'm gay.  
  
I turn back to the window and shake myself. It doesn't mean I'm gay, I've had heaps of crushes before, hardly any last for more than a year or two. I'ts probably just a phase, I think.  
  
But, I can't help noticing the way that I don't feel attracted to any of the girls I think of...  
  
I don't have long to think about it, though, because that second the carriage stops, and me and Sirius have to get out and go into Hogwarts.  
  
Home again, home again.  
  
Sirius's POV  
  
Nothing much happened for the rest of the train ride, we just laughed and joked around as usual. In fact, nothing much really happened at all for a while, only a few small little things that I picked up.  
  
When we were getting off the Hogwarts Express, Remus tripped on the steps and fell over. Since I was closest to him, and because there's no way James would, I hold out my hand to help him up. When he takes it, I get butterflies in my stomach and I go bright red, which I'm glad Remus can't see because the light was behind me.  
  
We started off to the carriages, and James says to me a bit quietly so only I can hear, "Hey, Padfoot, I saw Snape back there." I shrug.  
"So what? We can't prank him now!" James kind of sighs, and does this weird little smile, saying, "Well, I don't know what he could see, but from where I was standing, you were looking bright red just then." I turn pink. "You don't think he..." I start, but get interuppted.  
"Why, 'ello, guys! 'Ello, James, Remus, Sirius an' Peter! 'Ow your 'olidays been?" "Not too bad, Hagrid," Remus says brightly. "Well, we'd better go or there won't be any carriages left." We bid Hagrid goodbye and continue walking.  
  
When we get to the carriages, there are only two left, one empty, and the other with a couple of Hufflepuffs in it. James winks slyly at me and asks me if I'd mind if he went with the Hufflepuffs, so I have no choice but to let him go. Just an observation, but I was right when I thought that Remus would be a new heart-throb this year. The two girls were eying him like they always used to do to me, but Remus didn't seem to notice. I can't say the girls were too disapointed when James came in their carriage instead, although I saw the look on thair faces when Peter went with him. Bitches.  
  
Me and Remus get into the carriage, and we both look out the window, just thinking. When we're about halfway there I sneak a glance at him, noticing that he looks even better in moonlight than in daylight. I think he sensed me looking at him, though, because he turns to me and I look back out the window. I can feel him looking at me for a while before turning back.  
  
Soon the carriage stops, and we get out. Remus goes ahead into the castle while I stay a bit behind. When I'm almost at the door, Snape, no, Snivellous approaches me, smirking. "What do you want, Snivellous," I growl, ready to take him on. "Just wanting to know how you're getting along with your boyfriend," he says, still smirking. The smarmy git.  
"What boyfriend? What the hell are you talking about?" I say angrily, ready to pounce. "You don't even consider him your boyfriend? I don't think Remmy will be pleased to hear that." I'm just about ready to hex him before I hear Remus's voice from the doors. "Sirius? Are you coming?" "Have fun, lover-boy," Snivellous says in that great I'm-such-a-git voice of his, and push past me and Remus, shouldering him as he goes past.  
  
I swear, I was ready to strangle him. In fact, I would've if Remus hadn't done that. I think he noticed that I was so angry; hell, I would have been greatly surprised if he didn't. Anyway, he said to me, "Look, just try to ignore him. He's just trying to get you angry." "Well, he's succeding," I growl back, but Remus just sighs and we walk into the great hall.  
  
Since we walked in a bit late, most of the other people were already in their seats. As soon as we walk in, everyone starts whispering and staring at us. For a second I wondered why, but then remembered. I guess my encounter with Snivellous erased it temporarily from my mind.  
  
We walk down the middle of the tables until we see James and Peter, and sit opposite from them. I noticed that Remus seemed slightly uneasy about everyone looking at him, which didn't really surprise me all that much.  
  
"Hey, Sirius. Hey, Remus," James says, and I grunt in reply. When James looks confused, I explain. "Just something Snivelous said to me when we were walking to the castle. Damn, this time he's on thin ice." "Wha'd he say?" Peter asked.  
"Just, some really bad stuffs about you two," I say. James looks as if to say that he understands, Remus not really caring, and Peter excited.  
"Nothing about me?!" Peter asks ecstatically, and I decide to tell him the truth. "Nup. Nothing 'bout you." "Wow! I mean...Wow!" he says, so happy and we all laugh. It was common knowledge that Peter was insulted so much by the Slytherins if you bottled it all up and threw them off the top of the astronomy tower it would blow up the school. At least to Remus. God he's creative.  
  
"Hey, Reeeemmyyyy," a sickeningly sweet voice said from Remus's left. There stood a girl with long brown hair, which she was twirling around her finger, and sea-green eyes. It was Rae Keirl, the girl Remus had asked to the dance. The one that turned him down, just to ask me. "I just wanted to ask if you'd go to Hogsmeade with me next trip?" she asked, still in that sugary-sweet-as-honey voice. Bitch.  
  
"Uh, no thanks..." he said politely, And she got this big shocked expression on her face, as though she hadn't even considered this might happen. It immediately changed to a look of disgust and walked away saying, "What-eveeeeer!"  
  
Remus turned to us with on 'Ooo-kaaaaay' expression on his face. "I can't beleive I used to like her,"he commented, but before we could say anything else, Dumledore stood up and gave us the whole speech. You know, Whomping Willow and Forbidden Forest out of bounds, no magic to be used in corridors, yada yada.  
  
During the course of dinner, Remus was asked out about four more times. After the fourth one, a Hufflepuff blonde called Trinity who was a few players short of a Quidditch team asked Remus out, he vowed to stand up in front of the school and announce that he didn't want to go out with anyone, so stop asking. So, James had to, of course, put on this giggly voice, pretend to blush and say in this high voice, "Oh, Remus, will you giggle go out with me?" So Remus, of course, whacked him behind the head.  
  
Lol.  
  
Remus's POV  
  
When I walked into that hall, with everyone staring at me, I was scared. I really was. They were all pointing at me, giggling, whispering, staring...it was so scary. Like you were in a zoo as something girls like. A baby tiger? Yeah, like you were a baby tiger in a zoo and everyone's pointing at you. I don't know how James and Sirius put up with it.  
  
Well, lately Sirius hasn't exactly enjoyed it. But, let's just say I'm going to be more than a little annoyed if this keeps up. I'll be like a Dragon with a cold.  
  
All through dinner all these girls kept on asking me out. Even this girl I-well, I'll just show you.  
  
Flashback  
  
"Go on, ask her!" It was fourth year and there was going to be a dance in a few weeks. I was nervous as hell as I watched this really beautiful Ravenclaw girl at the Ravenclaw table. I felt like I loved her.  
"Uh...maybe not..." I said, as nervous as a kid going for their first haircut. "Oh, come on, you big wuss!" Sirius cried, and I glared at him. "Shut up!" "Then just go and ask her! I've had a date to the dance for a month!" "Well, it's not as easy for me! I don't have girls hanging off my arms like fruitbats!" "Stop with the similes already!" "Yeah, and we'll manage to convince Jamesie here to not score any goals in the next Quidditch match!" "AARRGG!!!" I smirked. I had won. Sirius hated when I used a lot of similes. "Remus, just ask her. The worst she can do is say 'no'," James said reasonably.  
"And laugh at me. And get everyone else in her posse to laugh at me. I'll be like a mouse acting like a lion," I simile-d back.  
James sighed. "Well, I didn't want to have to resort to this, but..." my eyes grew wide. I knew what James could do.  
  
James walked, no, strutted towards the girl, pushing past her friends. "Hey, Rae," he said casually, and everyone started whispering excitedly. Rae, the girl, blushed and took on her flirting voice. "Yes, Jamsie?" she asked, walking towards him, swinging her hips.  
"One of my friends here wants to talk to you," he said, equally as casually, and gestured to Sirius, Peter and I. All the girls started whispering and giggling again, looking at Sirius. I had known from the beginning that this had been a mistake, but I never fully understood how much until then.  
  
"Hey, can you give me and Sir a little privacy, thanks?" Rae said sweetly to her posse, and they immediately walked away.  
  
"See ya, guys," James said, walking away, obviously to give me and Rae time to talk. Fat chance. Peter and Sirius walked away, too, and I went bright red. It was just me and Rae. Me, bright red, nervous as hell, and Rae, who was staring at me, a disbeleiving look on her face. "You?" she said incrediously. "Uh, yeah..." I said, growing more nervous by the minute. "Anyway, I just wanted to ask you if you'd....like to go to the Hallowe'en dance with me?" I asked, and guess what she did? No, guess.  
  
Anyone who answered that she said yes, bum-bum-bumm! Wrong. All of those who answered that she laughed in my face win a million dollars.  
  
I've never been more humiliated in my life. I was just standing there, as red as a quaffle, with her laughing at me as though it were the funniest thing she'd ever heard. I felt like crying. I felt even more like punching her in the face. But, I didn't. I walked away, past the others, up to Gryffindor tower, into the dormitory, pulled the hangings of my bed around me and refused to come out again until dinner.  
  
And, the next day at breakfast, right in front of me, she asked Sirius out.  
  
He called her a bitch and punched her in the face.  
  
Of course, the guys had been sympathetic to my plight. They hadn't actually understood, though. After all, Sirius was pretty much the playboy of Hogwarts, James was continually knocked back by Lily, and Peter had never had a girlfriend in his life. Oh, how times have changed.  
  
She was immediately stated 'uncool', as us, the Marauders were the ultimate in cool. Whatever we thought was uncool, so did the majority of Hogwarts. No matter what we did, it was just like that.  
  
Anyway, after a couple of weeks she managed to claw her way back up to the top as the grand slut of Hogwarts. And she welcomed that title graciously, celebrating by sucking at Diggory's mouth 23 hours a day, 7 days a week.  
  
End Flashback  
  
And, well, that's what happened. And now, she was right here in front of me, twirling her hair around her finger, asking me out. I felt like saying, "No way, get lost, bitch," to get her back, but I settled with a look of slight disgust on my face and said, "Uh, no thanks..." You should have seen the look on her face. It was priceless.  
  



	3. Chapter three: The Friend & The True Lov...

Chapter three: The Friend & The True Love  
  
Remus's POV  
  
For another week or so nothing much happened. Gradually, I began to trully love Sirius. It was hard, him being one of my best friends and everything. To see him every day, waking up to him in the morning and falling asleep with his face printed so perfectly in my brain, knowing that he could never be mine. It was just impossible. 'Sirius,' I thought one day, 'is like a brand-new plastic ruler. Perfectly straight. And easliy snapped.' I chuckled a bit on that one, until I realised I had no idea why I was laughing.  
  
I don't think anyone picked up the signals I liked him; I kept those signals well secret. I didn't stare at him, didn't stutter or blush, everything was just like normal. I know him so well it just seemed stupid to do any of those things you're supposed to do when in love. None of those things I did when I liked Rae.  
  
However, my insides were eating me up. To look at him, so happy and boisterous all the time, with things just as they are. To tell him would change things; nothing would be the same anymore. It would break up our friendship, and James and Sirius would never be able to look at me the same way again, to know I fancy blokes. Even more disturbing was that I liked Sirius.  
  
The last thing I wanted to do was break up me and Sirius' friendship, and vice versa with James. Them and Peter were the first friends I ever had, the first friends that truly cared about me. I almost cried when they told me about becoming animagi, to know they would spend almost three years, just for me.  
  
Just for me.  
  
I felt like I couldn't tell anyone about liking Sirius, no-one. Not even Lily, whom I told most everything. I just felt sort of...distant about this. She didn't really know guys well enough, I guess.  
  
But, when the first Hogsmeade weekend rolled around, I finally felt like I had someone to talk to.  
  
I was walking up to the library to do some homework for Care of Magical Creatures. Not my best subject, I'll admit, but I'm Ok at it.  
  
Anyway, I walked into the library and took one of the tables near the back next to an open window, I looked out the window for a minute, breathing in the fresh air. It was good to get some time alone; I hadn't had some in a while. Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me. "Remus?" I span around to find myself faced with a large pair of olive green eyes briming with curiosity. As always.  
  
"Ally!" I said, the corners of my mouth crinkling into a smile. It had been a long time since I'd seen her last. She was a really good friend, and I couldn't beleive I hadn't thought of her when I was thinking of someone to talk to. Ally looked really happy to see me as well. One of the best things about Ally is that she always looks really natural, like she's always herself. When she's nervous or sad or angry, she kind of goes really calm, and when she's by herself, she expresses her emotions through singing. Oh, Ally is such a good singer. She sings like an angel. She hates singing in front of other people, though. I think I might be one of the only people on earth to hear her sing.  
  
Anyway, when it came to being natural today was no exception. She looked really calm and tranquil, which either means she's really nervous or feeling dreamy.  
  
"Hey, Remmy," Ally replied, using the nickname she'd invented. She sat down in the chair in front of me, her long blonde hair flicking her back. Ally also must be one of the smartest blondes I know. I don't have anything against blondes, I didn't mean that as an insult, I just meant that Ally is a blonde and still manages to be one of the smartest in the class, except for us. She beats us by far in Astronomy, though, but I only just beat her in potions.  
  
"Um..." Ally said calmly, staring into my eyes. I've also figured out that when Ally's nervous she usually stares into my eyes. She says they give her inspiration to figure out what to say next. "I was wondering if we could hang out next Hogsmeade trip? We haven't for so long." She was right about that. "Sure! Cool," I said nodding. There was no doubt about it now, Ally was definately nevous. "Because...I was thinking if we could...get back...together?" She looked so sincere, so hanging on my words, staring into my eyes with so much feeling, I had no idea what to say. I settled on the truth; I knew that Ally liked to know and tell the truth, even if it hurts. Hey, when you go out with someone for two years you learn a lot about them.  
  
I sighed, and looked into her eyes, searching for the inspiration she got from mine. "Ally...It's just...I still don't know. I just don't...feel that way about you. I like...someone else." It didn't feel right telling her about Sirius just there and then. It was too quiet in the library, I bet some of the people near us would jump if a pin dropped.  
  
I knew I'd have to tell her sooner or later, whether I like it or not. Ally is the sort of person that can make you tell her something by just sitting next to you. And when you do, she just listens, and thinks along with you. Not that I's mind telling her, though. Like I said, she's a great listener, and she sure knew the guys well enough. When we were going out she hung around with us a lot, and came up with some really priceless pranks. When we broke up she gradually stopped hanging with us and finally completely hung out with Lily & the other Gryffindors.  
  
I could see she was hurt; who wouldn't be? But Ally is a strong beleiver in true love, soulmates, and all that fluffiness. That's why we stayed friends after we broke up. So, anyway, she would understand that if I like someone else, I like someone else. Good point. Also, curiosity was taking her over. Ally is as curious as a cat and twice as willing to show it. Bad point. Her curiosity has gotten us in trouble at times.  
  
"Ok," Ally said, nodding. "I can understand. But, you do know you're gonna have to tell me sooner or later, now, do you?" she said with her usual mischievous grin. I grinned back, feeling a slight weight off my shoulders knowing I could at least tell someone.  
  
"Not now, though," I said, and her eyes widened.  
"No, of course not! They could be listening!" Just an observation I made, but I noticed that Ally didn't say 'she'. That made me feel slightly better, as well, even if she hadn't done that on purpose. "You'll tell me at Hogsmeade. So," she gestured to my work. "What are you doing?" "Care of Magical Creatures homework." she grinned.  
"I suppose you want help?" Ally was the best in Care of Magical creatures. She practically knows F B & W T F T off by heart. Everyone always asks her for help, but she only helps her best friends, which makes me feel slightly honoured.  
  
I nodded, and she walked around the table to sit next to me. "So, chimaeras..."  
  
Ally and me walked side by side down to the three broomsticks on the day of the first Hogsmeade trip. When I told James, Sirius and Peter I was going with Ally, they all gave me these weird looks as if to say, 'Hah! So you do like her!' When they gave me that look when I was meeting Ally, she followed my gaze, beamed at them, and gave them the finger. Their jaws dropped, though they all smiled, and Sirius mumbled, "Bitch." He was smiling hard, though, so it gave it away that he was just playing. When Ally heard that she just laughed. "Wow, I miss the old marauder humor," and with that, we left.  
  
For a few minutes we just walked down the street, thinking. Even though it wasn't that late in the year, it was snowing slightly, and looked very beautiful. This, and rain, were Ally's favourite weather, so she was content to just walk along and think. This was just fine with me, because now I was free to daydream about Sirius. About how his hair would look in the snow, how his eyes would shine-  
"Remus, we're here." I snapped out of my daydream, and walked into the three broomsticks. A lot of the girls there were scowling or glaring at Ally, obviously thinking we were going out. Ally didn't mind, though. She just smiled at them as though they were waving at her, earning some weird looks. I mean, more weird than threatening.  
  
We sat on either sides of a table near the back so we could talk freely. As soon as we sat down, Ally put her head on the table and looked up at me. "So," she said knowingly.  
"So what?" I asked, knowing full well what she was 'so'ing about. I was just scared someone would overhear us.  
"Who...do you like?" Ally asked dramatically, and I bit my lip. "Artemis is doing well. She really misses you," I stalled. Artemis is my sister, and Ally and her get along really well.  
  
Ally gave me 'the look', and I obeyed.  
"Ok, but, you can't tell anyone. No-one. Not even Lily," I said, and she looked at me innocently. "You know you can trust me, Remus," she said softly. "Ok, well, I haven't liked this person for really long," I said, half stalling, half so she wouldn't think I was such a freak or anything. "It just started on the first day, you know with the sorting and everything." She was nodding along with me, but I knew fully well that she was just dying to cry, 'Who is it already?!'  
  
"And, Ok, well, promise you won't laugh or anything?" She nodded feircely, knowing that I was about to tell her. "Ok, it's...Sirius." She had a look of dawning comprehension on her face, and nodded to me again. I was astounded. It was like the werewolf thing. We're I still find it hard to say 'gays' or 'homosexuals' so...descriminated. I think my subconscious mind kinda knew that Ally wouldn't feel that way, though. She found out the werewolf thing and didn't care; in fact, she thought it was kinda a turn-on.  
  
"So, you're Ok with it? With me, liking guys?" "Remmie," she said, in a know-it-all voice, "Liking guys isn't exactly a new and unusual expirience to me. And I don't think any girls in the entire school can say that liking Sirius is one, either." I grinned, and felt like laughing out loud. "Thanks, Ally, So much. For just listening." I reached over to hug her. "Don't I get a kiss on the cheek?" She tilted her head to the side, gave me puppy-dog eyes and blinked innocently. I sighed. I knew two people that had puppy-dog eyes that were impossible to resist. Ally and Sirius. "Well, Ok," I said, and reached over, giving her a peck on the cheek. And, at that exact moment, guess who happened to walk through the door?  
  
Yep, that's right. James, Sirius and Peter.  
They always did have a knack for good -- or should I say bad? -- timing.  
  
Of course, their eyes immediately flickered over to us, where I was kissing Ally on the cheek. They marched over, with looks on their faces that can only be described as purely Marauder-ly.  
"So, Remmie, why didn't you tell us you liked Ally?" Sirius asked, as though Ally weren't there. He said it kind of...jealously? I don't know. Maybe Sirius likes Ally? Boy, would that mess things up. Ally likes me, I like Sirius and Sirius likes Ally?!  
  
"I don't," I said, way too quickly, fully aware that my face was bright red. Not that I was any stranger to public displays of affection with Ally, at least in front of the Marauders, I was just nervous because all of this was in front of Sirius.  
  
"Sure, Remus," Peter smirked. I wanted so much that second to scream, 'I don't like Ally! I like you, Sirius! I love you!' but I knew I couldn't. I knew there was no way Sirius could like me. I knew he could never be mine, and that just made me feel depressed.  
  
"Heellooo! Guys? I'm still heeeeere!" Ally cried, waving her arms. Another bad point. One of Ally's pet peeves is someone not letting her finish or not letting her say something.  
  
"Anyway, I have proof that Remus doesn't like me," Ally said, resting her arms on the table. My eyes widened in shock, and Imouthed, 'No!' to her. She simply shook her head at me and continued. "You see, the only reason we spent the Hogsmeade trip with each other is because I wanted to get back with him." She sighed. "However, he explained to me that he just didn't like me that way anymore, so we went with each other to catch up on things. We haven't seen each other in a long time." Sirius still looked susicious. "But, he kissed-" "He didn't. It was because he owed me something." "Why?" Sirius said, still suspicious.  
"I practically did his whole Care of Magical Creatures homework," Ally said, smiling. "And in case you're wondering," she looked pointedly at Sirius, "I was the one to choose the 'favor'." That seemed to settle things.  
"Hey, Ally, want to hang out with us for the rest of the trip?" Peter asked. "Sure!" Ally said brightly.  
  



	4. Chapter four: The Problem & The Girl

Chapter four: The Problem & The Girl  
  
Sirius's POV When Remus said he'd be spending the Hogsmeade trip with Ally, I didn't suspect a thing. Sure, they had gone out for a long time, but had been friends for longer. And still were. I knew that Remus didn't like her, I just did. Just from the way he looked at her, and how they walked and everything. Remus just didn't like her in that way.  
  
But, when I saw them in the Three Broomsticks, as soon as I saw her face, I knew the same couldn't be said for Ally. I knew that despite him breaking up with her for not really truly loving her, Ally had never stopped. Loving Remus, that is. And this meant trouble. Ally had every guy in Hogwarts hanging off her, but she was different to me. She actually liked it. She could seduce anyone, and I knew that if I left everything how it was for too long, I'd bet my Nimbus 1000 that within a week Remus would be drooling at her.  
  
It was such a shame. All her talents put to waste. She had thought up some of the most ingenious pranks -- but no! She hasn't! I can't think like that! She's evil! She's out to steal Moony!  
  
When she explained to me all that stuffs about her asking Remus to get together and him refusing and all that -- I totally believed her. So completely believed her. I knew James and Peter felt the same way, too.  
  
And then I had to spend the rest of the day with that bitch.  
  
When we got back to school, Remus went to finish his homework, and I got to talk with James privately.  
  
"James," I said, well, Seriously, "We've got a problem here." "I think it's 'Housten, we've got a problem here'. Not James." he replied.  
"Huh?" What the hell?  
"Sorry. Muggle thing," he explained.  
"Anyway, James. We have a problem." "What problem do we have now that we haven't had before?" he asked confused. "Ally!" "So? What about her?" I felt like slapping him.  
"She likes Remus!" James attempted to raise an eyebrow, failed, and raised them both instead. "Aaaand?" I really wanted to slap him then.  
"I reckon she's going to try to seduce him!" I said conspiratorialy, and James thought for a second. "I'm not so sure about the seducing thing," he replied thoughtfully. "But I think you're right about her liking Remus. If you just told her about you --" "No!" I cried, astouned at James's stupidity. "You can't tell her!" "Why not? You know how Ally is about keeping secrets! That's why Remus always told Ally his. In fact, that might be why they went to Hogsmeade together! So Remus could tell her he liked you!" "James, don't you get it?! He doesn't like me! He never will..." I drifted off depressedly, and sunk back into my chair. "Never." I felt tears beginning to prick my eyelids, but I refused them, and looked out of the window instead.  
"His hair...his eyes...his smile...he couldn't ever be mine," I murmered, feeling single tears rolling down my cheeks. "It's agony, James. To see him every day, knowing that you'll never be able to be his. Never be able to stroke his hair, to look into his eyes like that, to kiss those lips." I looked over to Remus, who was still bent over his work. "Every day, every hour, every time I see him, I just want to scream how I feel to him. Scream that I love him. He's driving me crazy, James. I've never felt like this about anyone. No-one has made me feel this special, and he can't ever love me. Never. James, can't you see?"  
  
That night I had a dream. Not just any dream. A dream with Remus in it. Iove these dreams with Remus, they take me breifly away from the cold harsh world where he can never be mine, where I can take a glimpse at what could be.  
  
Or, is it could have been?  
  
It started we were on the hill over the lake, watching the sun set over the mountains together. I rested me head on Remus's shoulder, and just stared into the sunset smiling softly. A slight breeze blew my hair out from behind my ear. Remus reached out a hand and tucked it back behind my hair and started stroking my hair.  
  
When, the sun finally set.  
  
Remus turned to look at me, to stare into my eyes with those wide amber eyes of his. He smiled, the wind blowing his hair to the side, leaned in and--  
  
"GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE!!"  
  
Remus's POV  
  
I had the weirdest dream that night. It was my first, ever, dream with Sirius in it.  
  
And I loved it.  
  
Everything was so perfect. It was all so tranquil, so calm, so serene. Like neither of us had any worries or cares, and nowhere else we'd rather be. Like we would stay right there forever if we could. In that same position, for all eternity.  
  
We were sitting on the hill over the lake which was, ironically, the place where me and Ally first kissed. We were watching the sun set over th mountains in the distance, and I sighed softly. It was the most beautiful sunset I'd ever seen. The colours were truly amazing.  
  
I felt Sirius rest his head on my shoulder, and there was a slight breeze that blew Sirius's hair slightly from behind his ear. I reached out to tuck it back, and started stroking his hair, enjoying it's soft silkiness as it ran through my fingers.  
  
That was when the sun set.  
  
All too soon, in my opinion.  
  
But, I wouldn't have thought that if I'd known what was going to happen next. Sirius turned to face me, smiling slightly, as though this moment was too special for a beam; too precious for a frown. He closed his eyes, leant toward me and--  
  
"GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE!!"  
  
I sat straight up, blinking furiously, and cried, "What the hell?!" I heard Sirius shout exactly the same thing at exactly the same time in the bed next to me. Finally, my eyes became focused, ad I saw James standing over me and Sirius' beds.  
"What was that for, James?!" I cried. I usually didn't mind when James woke me up, but that was a good dream!  
"Yeah, Prongs! Ar, I hate waking up early," Sirius said, scratching himself.  
  
James, apparently, didn't care. He was giggling like mad. Damn, I hate him.  
Sirius looked as though ready to pounce on him, which stopped James. "Um, Sirius, I wouldn't do that if I were you." He looked at Sirius, and I saw what he meant. "You, too, Rem." I looked at my bed and blushed.  
  
"So, Rem, who's the girl?" Peter asked, obviously woken from James's shouting like us, and I blushed even redder. I scanned my brain for someone. "Um, you wouldn't know, uh, her." Sirius looked skeptical, and James looked curious. "Come on, Remmie. We know every girl in the school." "Um, Ok. She's in Ravenclaw, and, she has long black hair, and these really amazing eyes," I finished kinda dreamily. "She's in my Muggle Studies class."  
  
James stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Haven't heard of her. Is she new?" I nodded. "Cool."  
  
"What about you, Sirius?" Peter asked, and James and Sirius laughed.  
"Do you have to ask?" Sirius said in between giggles.  
"Yeah, Sirius' got practically the whole female population of Hogwarts on his mind!" James cried, and I couldn't help sigh. He would never be mine.  
  
"What's up, Rem?" James asked, and I jumped, not realising I had sighed out loud. "It's...nothing." "Come on, Rem. We tell you all our problems and stuffs," Sirius said encouragingly. "It's pronounced 'stuff'. Not 'stuffs'." I said, stalling.  
"Not when I say it it's not. Now, out with it!" I sighed again, and leaned back on my bed. "It's just...that girl I told you I liked? Well...I really like her. I think I'm in love with...her," I said, just saying things as they came to mind. "She's really beautiful, and smart, and funny, and...everything. It's just...I know she doesn't like me back," I finished softly.  
"How do you know?" James asked, and I thought about it. How did I know Sirius didn't like me?  
"She....she's got a boyfriend. They're pretty serious." No pun intended. Ok, well, maybe it was intended a little.  
  
"She might like you still," James said, almost hopefully. "I mean," "I know what you mean. But I know she doesn't like me. We're...sort of, half-friends. Sometimes we help each other out with assignments and things. The thing is, she doesn't blush, or stammer or anything like that, or avoid me or anything." "Maybe she's just really good at hiding it?" James asked. It was actually starting to get pretty annoying now.  
  
"Look! Just give it up! She doesn't like me!" I cried grumpily, and lay down on my bed, thinking.  
"Can I just ask one more question?" "What?" "What's her name?" "Sienna," I answered, saying the first name that came to mind. James squeaked, and I stared at him. "Huh?" I asked. James was looking...unusually happy. As in, happier than usual. "Nothing, nothing," he said quickly, not bothering to hide the happiness on his face and in his voice. "Hey, let's get down to breakfast before there's none left."  
  
James's POV  
  
Wow.  
  
I actually did it. I know it.  
  
Remus likes Sirius.  
  
I don't know how I know. Just, when Remus was describing 'Sienna', it was like he was describing Sirius! The hair, and the eyes, and everything. And with not liking him back, and with the 'boyfriend'...and the name! Sienna! Sirius? Sienna? He probably said the first name that came to mind.  
  
Which means that his mind was on Sirius. Which means he likes Sirius! I'm sure of it!  
  
I don't think I should tell Sirius, though. Not yet. Not until I'm completely sure of it. Not that I'm not already, I just need some evidence. To convince Sirius and me.  
  
And even if I did have the evidence, I'd still not be sure if I should tell him. This 'stuffs', as Sirius says, is very personal. Maybe I should wait. Maybe I should get a second opinion. Maybe I should have a time thing, you know, if they don't confess their love for each other until Christmas I'll tell him, or something.  
  
Ar, this thing is causing nothing but problems. I'll be glad when it's over and Remus and Sirius confess their undying love for each other.  
  
Unfortunately, I can't see that happening in this millenium.  
  
Hey, that's only about 30 years or something!  
  
Well, I'm going for a second opinion. I'm going to the only person I could see Remus telling, the only person who wouldn't tell anyone else, the only person Sirius considers an enemy. Besides 'Sienna', that is. Heh. He's his own enemy.  
  
Ally.  
  
Dun, dun dunnn...dramatic music  
  
Sirius' POV  
  
Duh! Of course! How could I not know! He likes smeone else!  
  
Someone in Ravenclaw. That's just like him, to like someone because they're smart, not because they have a hot body. That's one of the reasons I love him.  
  
Wait...I've never heard of someone called Sienna. Maybe it means he likes someone else that he doesn't want us to know he likes her about? Boy, was that sentance demented. But who?  
  
Wait...Ally.  
  
Smart? Yes. Funny? Yes. Beautiful? Hell yeah. Bloody hell! Even in my state of shock and apaulment (Is that even a word?) I have to commend her -- that was fast! Seducing him, I mean.  
  
That's it. That really is it! I can't beleive she would do this to me! I thought she was my friend. Ok, so she hasn't been my friend for a while, but I thought she thought that she was my friend.  
  
She is so dead.  
  



	5. Chapter five: The Letter & The Arguments

Chapter five: The Letter & The Arguments  
  
James's POV  
  
I decided to tell Ally as soon as I saw her. As soon as I saw her, when Sirius wasn't hovering over my shoulder, that is. Weirdly, that was after the first lesson. I hadn't expected to find her when Sirius wasn't with me for a long time, although I guess the route from Transfiguration to Divination passes by the bathrooms.  
"Ally!" I hissed, and she turned around, surprised.  
"James? Wha-" "Ally, in here!" I grabbed her wrist and took her into a little-used classroom next door. I had to be quick. Sirius and Remus were probably looking for me. "Ally, Sirius likes Remus and Sirius has got this weird idea in his head that you are trying to seduce Remus so he's really angry at you even though even if you were seducing him you have an excuse because you didn't know that Sirius liked Remus," I said extremely fast.  
  
Ally blinked.  
  
"Sirius likes Remus? Aww, how cute! I always thought they looked so cute together!" Ally cooed. I sighed.  
"Yes, but Sirius thinks-" "I heard you the first time, James." "Sooo..." "Sooo whaaat?" "What are you going to do about it?! About Sirius thinking you're seducing Moony!" Ally sat down on a chair by the door.  
"Well, for one, he's way off track. I haven't done anything to suggest that I like Moony. Except for the whole him-owing-me thing. Well, I really don't know. If he really think I'm seducing him, he'll come after me eventually, right? That's when I'll shout to him that he's insane. That way he doesn't find out you've been conversing with the 'enemy'."  
  
Ally can be pretty unbeleivable sometimes.  
  
"'Kay. Well, I gotta go. They're probably sending out a search party by now. Sirius at least." Ally giggled.  
"He's pretty...possessive, isn't he?" "Understatement of the century." "I thought that would be either 'Sirius thinks Remus is ok', 'Sirius doesn't really like Snape that much', or 'Lily thinks you're slightly arrogant'." "Ha, ha, ha. No, really I have to go," I said, and left.  
  
Sirius's POV  
  
I was so angry. I don't remember being that angry ever before in my entire life. Well, being angry at my family doesn't count.  
  
She was leading him on. She didn't like him. I saw the way she flirted with the other boys at the school. I bet she slept with them, too. A different one every night.  
  
With that thought as a motivation, I stormed up the whole school after all the classes for that day until I found her in front of the lake, with -- another boy. Damn, he was a cute one. And you know that's true because I didn't say that as a homosexual, I said that as another guy.  
  
She looked at me with some surprise. "Sirius?" she asked. Obviously she could see I was angry -- I don't exactly try to hide my feelings.  
  
"Ally," I said back in a low growl. She tensed, and turned back to the boy. "Hey, I'll see you later, Merlin." Merlin. What a stupid name.  
  
As soon as I got to her I glared at her with such ferocity she stepped back. "Uh, Sirius?" Now I knew she was scared of me. I saw that as a good sign. Ally was a hard person to scare, unless it involved getting her to do something significant in front of the whole school. Like scoring the winning goal for Gryffindor.  
  
"Ally." She bit her lip. "How coud you do this to him?!" I exploded, swinging my arms out. "I can't beleive you! You're just leading him on!" She looked at me with wide eyes. "H-who?" she asked, taking a deep breath. She was scared, but not too much yet.  
  
"Remus!! Who do you think?! You're just leading him on! Making him beleive you're in love before you crush him, Ally! Crush him! And then, when he's sadder than he's ever been in his entire life, you'll laugh at him! LAUGH!!" I knew this wasn't all true, but I was pretty sure it was.  
  
"W-what are you talking about?" I made a sigh that turned halfway into a growl. "You know perfectly well what I'm talking about! You've been making beleive you're in love with him! Seducing him! I see what you do to those other guys!"  
  
Ally's eyes narrowed angrily. "Are you calling me a SKANK?!" she spat at me. How the bloody hell should I have known!  
"No! I'm calling you a slut! A bitchy, slutty whore!" "AND WHY IS THAT?!" "I SEE THE WHAT YOU DO TO THOSE GUYS! FLIRTING WITH THEM, THEM MOViNG ONTO THE NEXT! I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF YOU SLEPT WITH A NEW ONE EVERY NIGHT!" "That's rich, coming from you!" "Oh, grow up!" I shouted back, crossing my arms. "You know perfectly well I haven't even had a girlfriend since last year! But you! You act as though you're really interested in them, then move on to the next one!" "And you think I'm going to do that to Remus?" she asked in a low voice. "You think I'd do that to one of my best firends?" "You've done that to half the other males in the school, why would it be any different for an old boyfriend? Why should he get exceptions?" I shot back in a voice of pure venom. Pure, pure venom.  
  
Then, Ally did the thing that I least expected to do. That included yelling 'Let's strip down to our underwear and swim with the giant squid! And then we can violently fight for werewolves not getting any rights!'  
  
Yep.  
  
I didn't expect it that much.  
  
She cried.  
  
I was completely shocked. I hadn't seen Ally cry since, well, two years ago. Ok, she wasn't crying that much, really. But tears were flowing down her face, and she was obviously upset. For a second I felt sorry for her, but then I remembered what she was doing to Remus and the feeling stopped.  
  
"You have no idea," Ally said in a voice just above a whisper. "You have no idea how I feel. No idea." "That's because you don't feel. You're just another ditzy girl with her own fan club. Just another Rae Keirl."  
  
Ally just shook her head. "Sirius...I'm not. I swear, Sirius! I'm not!" She looked as though she was about to either burst into tears or strangle me.  
  
"Prove it! Show me you're not just another bitchy slut!" "You want a reason?! I'll give you a reason!!" she shouted, before closing her eyes and biting her lip. She sat down on the grass, and opened her eyes. I didn't know what to say. She had looked so sad and angry before, but now she just looked so...neutral.  
  
Ally looked over the lake. "Sirius..." she whispered, closing her eyes again. "I loved Remus. I was in love with him." I stared at her. This wasn't what I had been expecting.  
  
"I thought he was my soulmate. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. Everything was perfect." She shook her head. "Karma. You do good things and good things happen to you. I also beleive Karma is that if a good thing happens to you, a bad thing equal to it will also happen. It did."  
  
She breathed a long sigh, and opened her eyes again.  
  
"I could understand that he broke up with me because he wasn't in love with me anymore. After I almost wished it had been because of something like I was too annoying, or mean, or anything. So I could change, but even being able to be mad at him would be better. He seemed so truly sorry, I couldn't help but feel guilty. It wasn't his fault.  
"So, that's where I am now. Sirius, I'm not a slut. I'm just searching for my true soulmate. My kindred spirit. My other half.  
"I've accepted that Remus can never be mine and I've moved on."  
  
She breathed deeply again, and walked towards the castle. When she was almost to the steps, without turning around, she said, "They say the hardest thing about moving on is not looking back, and I have to say that is absolutely true. It is."  
  
Sirius's POV  
  
Despite everything I had said earlier, Ally was actually very smart. I knew there was a lot of truth behind what she had said; not only only about moving on, but also about accepting things and moving on. I sighed, shaking my head as I stared over the lake again.  
  
I may as well face it. Not that I hadn't already. Remus could never love me.  
  
Never.  
  
That thought just made me feel even more depressed than before, so I stopped thinking about it.  
  
I knew what I had to do -- I had to move on, like Ally. Find someone else, my real soulmate. A person to love who loves me back.  
  
I lay down, still staring over the lake. It would be hard. I knew it would hurt me more than I could ever imagine, to watch him...to move on. A tear appeared in my eye, though I made no intention of stopping it. I knew I may as well cry. What difference would it make, anyway?  
  
I sniffed. Maybe this would be too hard. Maybe I should just give it all up. Everything.  
  
To look at him ever day...to gaze into those eyes...to see that beautiful hair...knowing it's all always just one step away. I can take the step, if I choose. I may get pushed off the edge of the bridge. I may be accepted onto the ledge. Or I could just turn around and go back home, searching for a more stable bridge.  
  
Remus' POV  
  
Over the next couple of days, nothing much happened. The weather grew steadily worse, the classes steadily harder, and I began to suspect that Sirius was avoiding me.  
  
Well, I didn't need to suspect it. I knew it. He was pretty obvious about it, at least to the people that knew him best. He kept on avoiding my eye, hardly talked to me anymore and I hardly ever saw him. On top of all that, he always looked depressed, and I had no idea why for any of the above.  
  
When asked, he would simply shrug, and avoid the person's eyes. He never wanted to play with us anymore, but James and I truly beleived something was wrong when Snape called him a man-whore and he acted as though he hadn't even heard him.  
  
Me and James tried as much as we could to find out what was wrong, but he was hardly speaking to me at all, and when James asked, he just shrugged and avoided his eyes like all those times before. James suggested that we try asking Ally in case he told her; she said that what he had told her had given her a rough idea, but she wasn't saying anything. She has already been very firm about not giving away secrets. She also said to James that if you look at everything he's told him, and what she's done, he'll come up with an answer. That was also when I got the feeling that Sirius hadn't just started avoiding me.  
  
After two days, I was torn. I was completely upset that he was so sad, but reall mad at him for not telling us, for not telling me, what was wrong, and for avoiding me.  
  
At breakfast on that second day, I was feeling really alone. I was starting to think that Sirius had found out I fancied him, and didn't want to be friends with me anymore. I sighed and picked at my scrambled eggs.  
  
Suddenly, I heard the post owls come in. Instinctively, I looked up, and saw my owl! "Celeste!" I cried, and the snowy owl flew down to me. As she she touched down onto my table, she held her head out for me to pat. I grinned. I knew that know matter what happened, no matter what changed, Celeste would always crave affection.  
  
I took the letter from her leg, and grinned even more. My parents! I couldn't beleive I had forgotten them. I ripped the letter open and read it.  
  
Dear Remus.  
Hey, honey! How are things? It's pretty normal here. It's raining nearly every day! You'd love it!  
  
Your sister is doing well, too. Yesterday Artemis was wishing her hair was long and dusty purple, and it changed! She's so smart, you should be so proud of your sister. She can't wait for next year when she goes to Hogwarts- she's already counting down the days! She got the spell from your father.  
  
As for your condition, we haven't had any progress. We think we've found something that could be useful- we're experimenting with a potion that could let you be in control of your thoughts and emotions while you're transformed, but even if it does work it won't be ready for another year or so.  
  
Keep up the good work,  
Mum  
  
P.S. Hey, Rem! It's Artemis here! I look so cool, everyone loves my hair! I think I'll keep it this way. How's Hogwarts? Has Lily finally agreed to go out with James? Has Sirius gone out with every girl in the school yet? Has Peter finally cracked? Write back with ALL the goss.  
Love ya!  
Artemis  
  
Remus shook his head. Yes, Artemis and his mum would always be the same, too. He chuckled at Artemis' enthusiasim for going to Hogwarts. I decided to write back right away, so I finished my scrambled eggs, took the letter, and gave Celeste one final pat before I walked off to the owlery.  
  
My trip to the owlery was rather unneventful, though when I got there it was anything but. When I opened the door, I saw someone else was already there, stroking an owl that hovered somewhere between sandy brown and golden brown. Someone with long, black hair that fell into his amazingly blue eyes. Someone who, apparently, hadn't noticed that they weren't the only people in the owlery anymore.  
  
Sirius Black.  
  
"...I just don't know what to do, Blaze," he murmered to the owl. "I'm trying to do what Ally said, but it's just so hard...I-I can't do it..." "Sirius?" I asked, and as he whipped around to face me, I mentally kicked myself. If I had kept quiet, I might have been able to find out what was wrong. 'How stupid am I?!' "R-Remus?" he asked, surprised. "W-what are you doing here? What did you hear? When did you come in?" "I came in around 'I just don't know what to do,'" I replied cooly.  
"Well, I'll just...leave now. You won't want me hanging around." He tried to push past me, but I stopped him. "No, Sirius. Stay here." He shook his head.  
"No, really, I'll go." "Stay." He stared up at me. I hardly ever spoke as firmly as that. Not that I was a pushover or something, I was more the kind of I-don't-get-mad-easy-but-if-you-get-me-mad-I-can-break-things-you-didn't-even-know-you-had-or-even-did-have-in-the-first-place person, and he was bloody annoying me.  
  
"O-Ok," he said, and retreated to the back of the owlery.  
"Sirius, what I want to know is why you've been ignoring me for the past few days and acting weird," I said, going straight for the point.  
"I haven't," Sirius muttered, avoiding my eyes.  
"Yes you have!" I cried, heating up. "You're doing it now! You're not looking at me!" Sirius looked up at me, startled. "All I want to know is Why?!" "Uh, I...I can't tell you.." he finished lamely. I heaved an exaggerated sigh.  
"Why?! You don't trust me?! You told James, and by what I heard you saying before, you told Ally, too! Haven't I kept all your secrets?! Did I tell anyone about you guys?!?" (Sirius looked around nervously), "Haven't I always told you guys everything?!?" I was shouting now. The sound was reverberating off the walls and choing down the castle, but I didn't care. I just wanted to know. "What about my biggest secret, huh?!! Didn't I tell you that?! Sure, I kept it from you for a while-" "One and a half years.." Sirius mumbled.  
"So bloody what?!" I shouted back, and Sirius cowered backwards until he was right against the wall. "I told you eventually, didn't I!?! AND DID YOU GUYS CARE?! NO!! SO WHY THE HELL SHOULD THIS BE ANY DIFFERENT?!?!" We had attracted quite a crowd now. Most people had probably never heard me yelling; not that I never do, I just only do it when I'm really mad, and I don't usually yell at someone at the top of a tower that overlooks all of Hogwarts. Sirius was looking very much like he just wanted to dissapear right on the spot.  
  
"WHY, SIRIUS?! TELL ME!" Sirius opened his mouth to say something, but no sound came out.  
"It's...it's not that..." he said softly.  
  
"WELL THEN, WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS IT?!" "I...I..." I looked at him with such hatred he flinched.  
"No, Sirius," I said softly, but venomly. This was my last, my most lethal weapon. "I don't want to hear another excuse," I said, before turning around and walking away. I thought I saw James as I walked past; he looked extremely shocked; but I just ignored him.  
  
Sirius' POV  
  
I really did it this time.  
  



	6. Chapter Six: The First war & the New Beg...

Chapter 6: The First war & the New Beginning  
  
Lily's POV  
  
That night after Remus' outburst, Though I couldn't blame him. Ha, I reckon that might be the first time I've said that about a Marauder getting angry and yelling at someone, though I've nearly always agreed with Remus. And it was against one of his own. And he has been acting weird. Has that cancelled me out already? after dinner Dumbledore stood up his place like he was going to make a speech. For some weird reason, what I remember about this night, perhaps best of all, was that it was raining, just softly. I guess it was just one of the weird things that sticks in your mind.  
  
"Students," he began. "I have some bad news. Some news that will affect a lot of you greatly, some more than others." His eyes lingered over certain individuals; a Ravenclaw, two Slytherins and a few Gryffindors. "It has been found that a dark wizard has risen; he is more powerful than any other before him. He goes by the name of Voldemort." A slight shiver ran through the crowd, and I could see why. This was terrible news.  
  
"He has already attacked many people, we still do not know how many families have been killed. The students whose families have been killed by Voldemort will be notified immediately by the head of their house."  
  
I looked over at McGonnagal. She was looking simpathetically at...Remus? No! it couldn't be him...maybe she was looking at Sirius? He'd be happy at that. But still, everyone knew how much he hated his family, so she wouldn't look sympathetically...  
  
"Dinner has ended. You may go back to your common rooms."  
  
I tried to talk to Remus, but he and the other Marauders were already going. I'd have to ask later.  
  
Wait...Professor McGonnagal is talking to Remus....  
  
3rd Person  
  
"Whoa, this Voldemort guy seems really evil," James commented as the Marauders got up to go back to their common room. No-one replied.  
  
Remus looked up at the ceiling of the great hall or, more correctly, where the ceiling would be if you could see it, and watched the rain. Falling down, but just before it hit you, it disappeared.  
  
When he looked forward again, the others had stopped. He turned around to see Professor McGonnagal standing in front of them, looking piteous.  
  
'Piteous?' Remus thought. 'Why piteous?' But he soon found out.  
  
"If you boys wouldn't mind, I would like to speak to Mr Lupin, please," Professor McGonnagal said softly, and all the colour drained out of Remus' face. He had listened to Professor Dumbledore's speech, and had wished with all his heart that his parents and Artemis would stay safe. He had vowed to wish every night for Voldemort never to set his eyes on them. Artemis would just be starting Hogwarts next year, Voldemort couldn't kill her! For her to be so excited to go, and for her to never get the chance, to be killed just before she gets the chance...  
  
But he should have learnt from past experiences with Sirius that you should never wish for the things you love.  
  
You should just let it happen.  
  
Sirius, James and Peter agreed, before walking just far away so McGonnagal would think they were out of hearing distance.  
  
"Mr Lupin..." McGonnagal started sadly. "I am sorry, but you parents...they have been killed by Voldemort."  
  
Remus choked back tears. His whole life he had always refused to cry; the more it hurt, the more he should try. He didn't know why, it wasn't to look tough, it wasn't because he was a werewolf, maybe just to prove to himself. Maybe not.  
  
"What about Artemis? My sister?' he asked, almost afraid of the answer. He wanted to run, so he could never hear. He already knew the answer, but he couldn't move. There was nothing around him, only himself, Professor McGonnagal and swirling blackness.  
  
The rain splattering on the roof seemed deafening to Remus, yet not entirely there. All he knew from the moment the last word left his lips was McGonnagal bowing her head in sadness.  
  
Remus didn't know what to do. HIs last resort, the last thing he really had, was gone. Gone, just like that, as if they had never really existed in the first place. It was too much. 16 years of never displaying emotion, keeping them twirling inside himself like angry snakes. He had always had a tough time being a werewolf, but he had never let it showed. Any signs of sadness he would swallow, and go to his parents, or even Artemis when she was born. But now...there was just...  
  
No-one.  
  
Remus ran. He had no idea where he was going; his feet seemed to be taking him somewhere. All he knew was that he had to get away from there; away from everyone else. Away.  
  
"Remus!" Sirius called from where he was standing as he watched him running. He had heard Professor McGonnagal telling him, and knew how bad this would be to him. He knew how he must feel.  
  
Remus ran outside into the puring rain, and looked around. His face was drenched within seconds, whether from rain or tears he didn't know, and at that moment, it just seemed unnimportant.  
  
Frantic, Remus dashed over to the bank of the lake, and just stood there. He turned his head up to the sky and spread his arms out, and just let the rain run down him. Choking back more tears, he squinted his eyes, hoping to stop the flow.  
  
"Remus!" Remus turned to see Sirius running towards him. Suddenly, Sirius was standing right next to him, and he was on his shoulder, sobbing.  
  
For a while, the two just stood there, with their arms around each other, Remus sobbing his heart out on Sirius' shoulder.  
  
"It just...it just happened so...fast..." Remus said between sobs. "I always depended on them. Now I don't have anyone...no-one."  
  
"Remus, that's not true," Sirius said so softly he could barely be heard over the rain. But Remus couldn't hear anything else; he had turned to look at Sirius and was hanging on his words.  
  
"You know you'll always have me," Sirius whispered.  
  
And they kissed.  
  
It was the most wonderful sensation each of them had ever had; they never wanted to forget this moment.  
  
So, they stopped thinking about that.  
  
And just focused on that they were both sharing their first kiss together.  
  
In the rain.  
  
THE END  
  
A/N: Did you like it? If you did, please review! If you didn't, review anyway! If you're not sure, make up your mind and review! ; If enough people review, I'll do a little epilogue with Sirius & Remus telling James, Peter & Ally they're going out. If not enough people review, I won't. Mwahaha, now I know how hogwartsdiva feels. While you're here, read her story, 'All in the Timing. It's really good, and almost finished. Unless, of course, she wants to do a sequel...hint hint  
Anyway, whether I do an epilogue or not, next I'm doing another Remus/Sirius story called 'Look how they shine for you', then I'm going to stop doing SBRL stories. Not forever, I just want to try some Remus/Ginny and Remus/Lily stories, as there is a rather conspicuous absense of them.  
Well, see ya, if you still like me, that is!  
Oh, and I had to beta my own story, so I know there was mistakes. 


	7. Epilogue

A/N: Hey! Sorry this took so long, but I had a few obvious setbacks. My internet was down for three days, and the site was also not working for me yesterday. SO SORRY!!! You're lucky you got this today, I had to sit through 5 hours of my brother James's soccer. It was a carnival, and SOOO boring. I also spent most of tonight playing Final Fantasy X. I think I'm becoming half as obsessed with it as I am with HP. And that is an extremely big number. I hardly got any done in the weeks, and none last weekend. I'd like to give a big THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed, you made me feel so happy! I think I'll reply to the reviews at the end. Also, don't think I'm crazy, but armadillos are COOL! You'l' understand why I'm saying this later. Well, I'll stop blabbing, and get this up!

Epilogue

3rd Person

After Remus & Sirius kissed, they started going out. Neither of them had said anything in the matter, it was like an unspoken request that they had both agreed to. Of course, though, they had both agreed not to tell anyone quite yet. The timing didn't seem right, and they weren't sure they wanted the whole school to know right away. Ally and James had already guessed, though, and exchanged satisfied glances every know and then when they watched them both. Peter, who still hadn't been informed of any of this, just smiled and nodded whenever anyone mentioned it; verbally or simply through glances.

Remus was still in mourning over the loss of his parents and sister, but he had Sirius now, and that made it just that better. It reminded Remus of the saying 'When one door closes another opens', and he found himself stepping back to survey both of them. Whenever he would feel sad, Sirius would tell James, Peter and Ally (if she was there) he was going to try and cheer him up, which was the truth, really.

Lily, like Peter, also knew nothing about what was happening, which was a sort of problem for her. She didn't want to pry and ask, but she was the motherly type, and liked to know as much as she could about her friends. This was why she was one of the first to be told. Certainly not the first to know, but neither Remus nor Sirius knew that, either, so it didn't really matter.

Lily finding out started from her watching Professor McGonnagal talking to Remus. She decided that night to ask him the next day, no matter what. No matter how sad he was.

Surprisingly, at least for Lily, Remus didn't seem as sad as she would have guessed when she asked him while they were walking to care of magical creatures. He had looked really upset then, and now....

it wasn't like he didn't care, more like there was something else on his mind. Something good.

"Remus," Lily asked, jogging to catch up with him.

"Hey, Lily," he replied kind of sadly. Lily looked at him questioningly, but he was looking at the ground. "Um, Remus? Uh, could I ask what Professor McGonnagal was telling you yesterday?" Remus stopped walking and looked at her. "You saw her talking to me?" Lily nodded, and Remus blushed. He looked at Lily's face for a few seconds, before continuing walking and answering. "Ok. Well...you know Dumbledore was saying that some families have been killed by Voldemort?" Lily nodded, then suddenly a light bulb went off. "Oh...Remus...I'm so sorry..."

"It's Ok," Remus said, and again, Lily watched him carefully. He didn't seem so sad...

"Remus, have you got something else on your mind?" Lily asked, and Remus blushed again. "Uh...no. No, there isn't anything else on my mind."

"Remus, come on. I can read you." Remus looked at her sceptically "Well, Ok, I usually can't. But right now you are are really horrible liar. Just tell me! I promise I won't laugh or whatever it is you expect me to do." Remus sighed, and began telling her about everything that had happened on the train there. It was strange, but Remus was able to retell every feeling he had had. Like he had it all stored up there in his head, just waiting for this purpose.

When he got to the part where he finally realised he loved Sirius, he realised that they had not only stopped walking, but he and Lily were both late. "Um, anyway, we're late. I'll make this quick. I...love Sirius. The reason I'm kind of happy is because I found out Sirius loved me too," he said, before running to class.

"You told Lily?" Sirius asked that night. Sirius and Remus were upstairs in their dormitory, James was downstairs working out a new Quidditch strategies, and Peter was....well, Peter was somewhere. None of them really knew where Peter was, but it didn't really seem important.

"Yeah. I didn't really have a choice! One, she's one of my best friends, two, she kind of forced it out of me," Remus replied. Neither of them were angry, Sirius was just surprised.

"I just...it's just weird that we told Lily before James. Or Ally. After all, they were the first people we told about the other....thing. I know you told Ally." Remus thought for a second. "So now Lily was the first to be told something! It all works out!"

Sirius shook his head, but smiled. "Riiight...well, I think we should tell them soon, anyway."

"Why-"

"Hey, look, if they didn't say anything about the werewolf thing, they won't say anything about this. Besides, we already told them that we like each other. Maybe they've passed it on to each other?" Remus looked sceptical

"No, Ally wouldn't tell anyone, not even James, unless he said it first..." he trailed off. "Ok, Ok, then. Tomorrow. We have all day so we con put it off as much as we want."

"That's an unusually specific thing to say."

"Maybe I've been spending too much time with Ally..."

"Nah, you're just the most creative person I've ever met."

Remus blushed, and kissed Sirius quickly on the lips.

"Tomorrow, then."

The next day, which was unseasonably cool, Remus and Sirius invited Ally, James and Peter out in the grounds under the tree they always sat under. Ally and James tried to act as though they had no idea why, which was actually pretty easy, given all the practice they'd had lying. Peter really had no idea, so Remus & Sirius were under the impression that they and Lily were the only ones that knew.

They stood there, in front of the three, holding hands tightly behind their backs so no-one else could see. They stood there, for so long that Peter was getting frustratred. "Just hurry up, already!" he cried, then got an idea. "Wait... is this about what's been happening lately? I want to know what James and Ally have been talking and looking at each other so much! You have to tell me!" Remus and Sirius looked surprised, before Sirius cried,

"See! I told you! Didn't I tell you?" Remus just crossed his arms and poked his tongue out.

"Teeeell meeee!" Sirius turned to James, who had managed, with Ally, to slink back a few steps. "Jaaaamiiieee?"

"Uh, yeeeeaaah?" Sirius crossed his arms, but smiled.

"Ok, Ok. Yeah. But you were going all crazy and-"

"Is anybody gonna tell me what the hell is going on?!"

"Uh, Ok. Well, you see..." Sirius began.

"Maybe you should have rehearsed your speech beforehands?" Ally asked, innocently. "Yeah..." Sirius said vaguely.

"Um, anyway, everyone...." Remus took over. "Me and Sirius are...going out."

Ally went pale. "Artistic armadillos!" she cried, then looked thoughtful for a second. "Hey, that's a good one!" she exclaimed, before whipping out a notebook and pen and writing 'Artistic armadillos' under 'Dilly-Dallying Dragons'. James muttered something that sounded like, "What is it with Ally and armadillos?" before turning back to Sirius and Remus.

"OK," he said, shrugging. Peter looked mildly shocked.

"But....so -- wait...if you're just telling Ally and James, what have they been acting all mysterious about?" Ally smiled at him.

"Why, we're starting up Schoolpeople Loving Armadillos Group! Or, for short, S. L. A. G.!" Everyone cracked up laughing. They hadn't laughed so hard since the train on the way to Hogwarts. And if they had, it hadn't been real.

"OK. But, anyway, Sir, I've got a new song for you. And this one suits you even better than 'I like big butts'!"

"What is it?"

"Fell in love with a boy!" Ally cried, and began to sing. "Fell in love with a boy, I fell in love once and almost complete-ARG!" she squealed as Sirius takled her onto the ground, and the two began to wrestle. Remus, James and Peter laughed. Everything was back to normal, but better this time. Because this time, Remus had Sirius, and that made all the difference.

And the last sentance of this story, which could be heard wafting along the breeze a fair way away, was Ally crying, "Maybe later we should get some twisties! 'Coz life's pretty straight without twisties!"

The REAL End

adrienne: Hehe, I never thought of them going up to the common room and stuffs. I had already wrote the beginning of this when I got your review, so I couldn't do it. Good idea, though. Yeah. Poor Remmie, but now he has Sirius at least, and that would make me happy! (I'd be even more happy with Remmie though!)

Sincerity Inkwell: Thank you sooo much! I have you on author alert. Isn't that cool? :) You're story 'Better than Trelawny' is really funny. And again, THANK YOU! Yeah, Remus is hot, isn't he? sigh Wow, I just read your other reviews. I LOVE YA!!! You are the best!!!

TrippHandcuffs: Thank you!!!

hogwartsdiva: I know I've said this SOO many times, but thank you!! I love your story, it is so cool. I'm so glad you decided to read my story, even though you don't normally read slash. Thanks!

Grandma.: Thanks for taking the time and effort to give the constructive critisism. I tried to do what you suggested, but I'm only 12 and I couldn't really make it a lot more descriptive. However, I spell-checked it this time. blush I hope you like this better.

Hollow Haven: Yeah, I agree. With the rain, I mean. It's always been one of my favourite romantic scenes, too, and in my next story you'll see another one of my favourites. I kinda got my inspiration from Final Fantasy X. I won't say anymore if you haven't seen it, though! ; And with the yawning- ok, this is getting freaky. I just yawned when I was writing this. And again. ;;;

SP-in-Sirius-Denial : Well, here it is. And it was no problem letting you know. I hope you like it, some sweet happiness with some jokes. Well, come on! I had to! You couldn't expect me not to! Oh, and sorry for taking so long! The day I finished this, the internet wasn't working. Sorry!

Seraphina Pyra: Well, I fixed it. You probably already know, but, yeah. Anyway, I hope you like the epilogue!

RJ: OMG!!! I've never had fangirls before! I feel so honored! And, yeah, there should definately be more Rem/Sir fics! And, here's the epilogue! I don't think I'm going to be doing a sequel, I might though. Now I'm mostly focusing on starting a different one called 'Look how they shine for you'. It's a kind of songfic to the song 'yellow' if you've ever heard it, but you don't need to know it to like it, it's not a real songfic.

Grimy Grunhilda Grunt: Lots of love to you, too! ;D I know. Poor Remmie. :( But, he's got Sirius now, so he'll be happier!

M: That's the shortest name thingie Mental blank I've ever seen! ; Anyway, here I am! I've continued it! Hehe, I think my 'witty things to say' button is malfuntioning

And, finally, I'd like to say, once again, THANK YOU!!! My new story, 'Look how they shine for you' should be up sometime this millenium. It's another R/S, and just as fluffy. Maybe more? It'll be pretty short, too. Maybe a one-shot, but probably not. Well, C Ya!


End file.
